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Open Source CRM Software

Open source CRM has received more and more business applications in recent years. Various customer relationship management software is now available as open source. There is a false belief that open source is synonymous with free. It's certainly not always that.

Open source software

A special feature of open source software is that the source code ('the text of the software program') is freely available to everyone. Users have the option of using the CRM software for every purpose. The software can be changed, copied, and distributed without having to pay any rights to the original developers at any time. The software solution usually develops further through the input of the users, whereby the internet is the medium. The original developers usually coordinate further development.

Open source versus free CRM software

Although the source code is freely available, this doesn't by definition mean that the relationship management software that you use makes something expensive. After all, open source only refers to the free availability of the source code. To clarify this, we 'dissect' CRM software into two parts: the software that runs on the computer (the compiled executable) and the source code with which this software is made. The source code isn't necessary for the software to work, only the executable is required for this. If someone wants to change a piece of software, they must have the source code, adjust it and then compile it. A new version of the software is then created.

Unlike other CRM software

With most commercial CRM software, the source code is protected and secret. As a user you buy or rent a program and use it. If the software needs to be adjusted, the options are often limited. Usually one has to go to the supplier of the original customer relationship management software to adjust the executable. This while already paid for this software.

Benefits of open source CRM

If paid CRM software is open-source, the person who purchased this software has access to the source code. This makes it up to the buyer of software (and no longer to the seller) to indicate whether and how the software should be adjusted. And of course it's up to the buyer to compare different offers and suppliers. The original seller has a major argument in negotiating that his organization has the required experience and knowledge for the desired adjustment. Other providers will have a difficult task to achieve a comparable level of knowledge, expertise and experience. The buyer is the person who can enforce proof of this knowledge, expertise and experience.

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